“Whether you're gay, straight or somewhere in between, Bloomington offers something rarely found in this country: a small town with a bold history of openness and acceptance."

Out Traveler Magazine

The Backstage Blog

Head Backstage to be in the know.

We want to take you behind the scenes, to give you insider information you won't find anywhere else. This is where we pull Bloomington's hip happenings together with recommendations from our team, first-hand accounts from project producers, and guest blogs by local gurus. The Backstage Blog helps you stay in front of it all.

Fall Family Fun in Bloomington

It seems the norm these days for most school systems to offer a
reprieve in the middle of October, a fall break they call it. Kids and teachers
need a couple days (or in some cases a full week or more) to recharge. For most families, it's not quite long enough
to take a full-fledged vacation. Or, in
the case of our family, we blew our vacation money on a big summer trip. The
best option for fall is a quick getaway that won't break the bank.

Luckily, Bloomington is a quick drive from wherever you are (well, for
most of you anyway) and there are a ton of affordable activities you can
partake in with the family. Here are my suggestions, with some input from Visit
Bloomington's resident fun experts, Ellie and Remi (my daughters).

WonderLabWe have to start this post out with WonderLab -- it's a must for any child in elementary school. The museum is completely interactive; you can
literally touch everything. The activities and exhibits focus on science
education, so the kids are learning about biology, nature, technology,
and engineering, but in entertaining ways. Admission is $7 a person, a steal when
you can spend a few hours learning and having fun. Ellie recommends the
grapevine climber.

The WonderLab is so fun it requires video.

Mathers Museum of World CulturesJust one more museum, I promise. But this one is pretty cool for kids in middle and high school, with exhibits covering a wide variety of cultural
artifacts from any given time period in human history. And in October, there's
a special exhibit called Dia de los Muertos Community Altar, with artwork
commemorating the dead. You can even add your own gifts to the altar. Added
bonus: it's free! Remi suggests checking out the dinosaur skull.

Hoosier HeightsMore indoor fun that keeps the kids active! This rock climbing facility
has rock walls that will challenge parents but also plenty of kid-friendly
climbs. Even short stacks can enjoy climbing in the bouldering area with crash
pads for safe tumbles. Day passes are between $8 and $20, with an additional
fee for gear rental. Ellie loves to act like a ninja and climb the walls that
make me the most nervous.

Ellie loves a physical challenge, including the mobile rock wall from Hoosier Heights.

Cardinal Stage Company's PeabodyEverything Cardinal does is top-notch, and they've commissioned this
family-friendly play that is sure to entertain. The story centers on one
pre-teen's journey to discover the scientific process of how water becomes pee.
No joke, it's full of fun jokes (and science) that kids and parents will enjoy.
The show runs October 17-25, Thursday-Sunday at the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts
Center, and tickets run between $11.95 and $19.95. Ellie suggests arriving
early to get the best seat right up front.

Hoosier National ForestNow for an outdoor adventure in one of the most beautiful places in the
Midwest. Just about 20 minutes from downtown Bloomington is the Hoosier
National Forest, which surrounds most of Monroe Lake. This hilly landscape is
absolute perfection in October, when the trees turn fiery orange and red. There
are trails for hiking, spots for camping, and a huge fire tower that will
beckon your adventurous teens and grown-ups. The forest is free to the public, and Ellie
particularly likes hiking by the lake and testing my patience as she gets
closer and closer...

At the top of the fire tower. It's a challenge to climb but the views are worth it.

Jump-n-Joey'sFor those cool or rainy fall days when you have to stay indoors but
need to burn energy, head to this bouncy play land on the westside. The bounce
houses are for kids 12 and younger (including a toddler area for wee ones) but
there's also an arcade for any age. Admission is $8, but kids under 36 inches
are only $4. Remi advises you to bring plenty of dollar bills for the arcade
games!

IU AthleticsIf you've got a sports fan in the family, you have come to the right
town! The Hoosiers offer 24 different sports, so there is plenty of action in
the fall. And if you're planning far enough out, you can schedule a guided tour of Memorial Stadium's North Endzone, Assembly Hall or Cook Hall. Tours are
available at 9:30am and 1:30pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but must be
scheduled two weeks in advance. They're free, and even Ellie and Remi can
appreciate the magnitude of standing on the court at Assembly Hall.

The fabled and soon-to-be renovated Assembly Hall.

Check out the special offers available this time of year too, to help save a little extra cash. There are so many more things to do, from events to kid-friendly
restaurants to shopping, it will be tough to cram it all into a few days. You
might have to come back for winter break too.

Julie Warren

Julie was raised in Bloomington and attended IU, and all of that experience and knowledge comes in handy as the Director of Tourism. She loves live music, ice cream, swimming, craft beer, and of course her adorable family.